The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-12

"Ah, but some mothers who love their
children beat them / had a child once
just like you, and 1 beat her."
"You were cruel" said little Gertrude.
| "Cruelr replied the woman with sigh.
"Ah, my dear, you don't know how truth
fully you are speaking. Cruel! Ny GUd ;
my God"
There was moments silence.
"When l last saw her." the woman re-
sumed, 'she was just about your age, and
so like you. What's your name, dearl"
'Gertyr replied the child, in her pert
fashion.
''Gertyr' repeated the woman.
Eyes, Gerty Tnresherr' said the child,
proud of being able to give her full Chris
tIan name.
"Gerty Thresherl Gerty Thresherw re-
/ peated the woman, in such husky, half
suffocated voice that Mrs. Birdy arose in
alarm to see what was the matter.
The moment Mrs. Birdy's eyes fell upon
the woman's face she started back in hor-
ror and fear. The woman returned her
gaze of astonishment. For moment the
two stood staring in silence at each other.
'Then the woman, with wild scream,
| raised her arms above her head ard fell
back in convulsions. Mrs. B!rdy III an in
slant snatched up her daughter and ran ter
rified away. The face of the woman who
had been talking to her child was the evil
face of her dreams!
She had run about a hundred yards
before her horror gave her time to
think. Then she paused a moment to re-
fleet. The woman she had left behind her
was lying in convulsive fit. II no help
were given she might die where she lay.
Was it right to leave her in this way be-
cause of some resemblance the unfortunate
woman bore to face she saw in her dreams!
Gertrude felt that she was behaving in a
c0wardly fashion. She would not leave the
poor creature. She would return.
1t took a great effort for her to force her
self back, but she made it. She found the
woman lying stretched on the grass, per-
fectly unconscious Her face, now at rest,
bore less resemblance to Gertrude's dream
face than before. 1t was more haggard,
aged and worn, and much less ferociOus
and cruel In fact, as she saw it now, the
resemblance was scarcely noticeable.
Gertrude brought some water from lit
tie stream which ran close by and dashed
it in the unconscious woman's face. The
woman made no motion. Further attempts
proving equally unsuccessful, Gertrude,
afraid that it might be something worse
than a mere fainting fit, hurried away for
help. The first person she met was the
gardener. Returning with him, she directed
him to carry the unconscious woman to the
Grange That done, she sent for the doctor.
When DR.. Oldport arrived he made
rapid examination of the patient.
"Well, Doctor" inquired Mrs. Birdy,
anxiOusly, sis she very ill?'
NO. no; not at ALL" replied Dr. Oldport.
"a mere fainting fit, produced partly ex-
haustion and partly by shock. You see by
her appearance that she's very poor, and
she has evidently been walking much lately
and resting very little. What she needs is
some rest and care"
"rlI see to that" said Mrs. Birdy
'Really, my dear Mrs. Birdy," remon-
strated the doctor, ''you are too kind. Your
duty would be done if you sent her to the in
frmary. She is evidently only tramp, or
something of that kind. looking for work"
Poor creaturer said Gertrude. plying
ly, but at the same time he5itatingly. For,
strongly as she felt for the worn out woman,
she diSlIked the notion of harboring under
her own roof a person who bore so much
resemblance to the evil faces of her dreams.
'Yes," murmured the doctor, ''she has
had hard life of it. Look at the scars on
her face"
''Yes, indeed" exclaimed Mrs Birdy;
'what caused these, Doctor!'
Blows" replied DIR. Oldport, ''or kicks.
Some sort of rough usage, at any rate. Has
had a brutal husband, l should say. Well,
Mrs. Birdy, will you send her to the in
frmary!"
80, no, doctor, 1 can not'' cried Gertrude,
whose reluctance TO receive the stranger
had been dissipated by this last revelation.
''Poor creature, 1 must see her quite herself
before let her 60"
''Very well, Mrs. Birdy; as you like Let
her be put 10 bed them" and DR.. Oldport
proceeded to give his direc ions as to the
treatment Of the woman.
The woman long remained unconscious,
and Gertrude was unremitting in her atten-
ton to her. On the Squire returning home
he was surprised to hear of the new inmate
of his house, and he went to the bedroom to
see her. She was still unconscious. Ger
trude told him of the strange resemblance
she bore to the face she dreamed about, and
when, later on, Gertrude, searching for
something or other, went into her hus-
bands study, she found him sitting alone
there, lost in what appeared to be a dis
agreeable reverie.
The so-called fainting fit turned out to be
a much more serious affair than DR.. Oldpor;
anticipated. On calling the day after the
woman's arrival Mrs. Birdy noticed that
after his examination of her his looks be-
came very grave. Mrs. Birdy asked him if
he thought that there was any danger, and,
although he said that he did not think there
was, it seemed to Gertrude that his tone
hardly responded to his word. He added
that he would call again early the following
day.
Meanwhile the woman recovered con-
sciousness and became perfectly sensible
of what was happening about her, though
she remained nearly as silent as when she
was insensible. She never spoke save in
reply to questions and then her answers
were in monosyllables. One thing about
her that every one noticed was the strange
way IN which she watched Mrs. Birdy when |
as often happened-she came into the |
sick-room. She would follow Gertrude's |
every movement, never for a moment lift |
ing her melancholy eyes off her. Then |
when Gertrude, who felt uncomfortable |
under her gaze, left the room, she would |
cease to take interest in any thing, and |
turning her eyes to the ceiling would sink |
into reverie which would last until Ger |
trude came in once more
DR.. Oldport had attended her for a week, |
and every day his looks had become graver. |
One day, after he had left the sick-room, he |
sent for Mrs. Birdy. He told her that he |
had thought 1t his duty to inform her
patient that all hope of recovery was gone. |
Whether the end would come that day or |
that week he could not say, but it was GER
tainiy not far of. Her condition was such |
as to leave no doubt on that point.
Though Mrs. Birdy had for some time past |
expected this announcement, it now greatly |
affected her. and almost before she had |